THE PANAGBENGA 2018 GRAND FLOAT PARADE

BAGUIO CITY June 13 – Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan is open to the proposal of the night market vendors for the extension of the night market operation provided that the night market vendors will strictly comply with the existing terms and conditions governing the proper disposal of their generated waste.

The local chief executive said that the night market operation could be extend up to the wee hours of the morning the following day but not on the start of their operation because they occupy one side of Harrison road and this will create more problems for the motoring and commuting public.

"We are open to the proposal of our market vendors to extend the night market operation but not on the start of their operation. We will discuss the matter with the vendors and the members of the Baguio City Market Authority so we can iron out potential problems during the discussion," Domogan stressed.

Earlier, concerned night market vendors urged the local government to allow the extension of the night market operation for them to recover their huge losses as a result of the continuous monsoon rains that have visited the city last week.

The vendors proposed that the night market should start at around 8 pm and should end at around 3 am, especially during the rainy season so that they can market their products to their patrons and recover from the huge loss of income which they have suffered during the continuous afternoon rains.

Domogan claimed that the BCMA will evaluate the compliance of the night market vendors to the existing terms and conditions being imposed by the local government for the night market operation, especially in the proper disposal of their generated waste, so that those who will be found not complying with the rules and regulations will be excluded from the possible extension to be granted in the coming weeks.

Over 1,000 night market vendors occupy the 500-meter stretch of the right side of Harrison road for the night market operation that serves as one of the major tourist attractions in the city which operates from 9 pm to 1 am daily.

The conduct of the night market was embraced by the local government over a decade ago to serve as the alternative vending area for sidewalk vendors who were displaced from the massive anti-peddling campaign that was launched to rid the city's streets from the proliferation of sidewalk vendors which was pinpointed by the Baguio-Boracay Re-development Task Force as one of the major eye sores in the city several years ago.

Previously, the conduct of the night market was done in the concrete portion of the Baguio Athletic Bowl before it was transferred to a 500-meter stretch of Harrison Road where the vendors tremendously increased to over 1,000 from the previous 400 vendors that originally started the night market activity.

Domogan appealed to the night market vendors for utmost understanding in awaiting the decision of the BCMA relative to their request for extension.